Beverly Kauiokanahele Noa (June 14, 1933October 19, 2017) was a Hawaiian

hula Hula () is a Hawaiian dance form accompanied by chant (oli) or song ( mele). It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Native Hawaiians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visua ...

dancer. Noa was the 1952 winner of the Miss Hawaii contest and was inducted into the

Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame is an organization dedicated to recognizing the cultural importance of the music of Hawaii and hula. Established in 1994, the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame promotes the appreciation and preservation of Hawaiian cultur ...

in 2014.

Early years and career

Beverly Kathleen Rivera was born June 14, 1933, in Los Angeles, California. Her parents were Benny Rivera and Victoria Miller. She was raised in Honolulu and graduated from Farrington High School. Beverly was introduced to hula by her teacher Louise Beamer when she was six years old, and she would later study with the renowned artist ʻIolani Luahine. At age eighteen she was crowned Miss Hawaii 1952 and competed in the 1953 Miss America contest, where she placed in the top ten. She began her career as a featured dancer at the well-known Waikiki bar

Don the Beachcomber Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON * Don (river), a river in European Russia * Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name * Don, Benin, a town in Benin * Don, Dang, a ...

. Hawaiian tourism expert Robert C. Allen said that Noa "took Hawaiian hula dancing to new levels" and described her as the most popular Island dancer of her time. Noa performed at many of Hawaii's most famous showrooms, including the Tapa Room at the

Hilton Hawaiian Village The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort is a resort hotel on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. The resort first opened in 1955, and since has grown to become the largest in the Hilton chain of hotels, and one of largest hotels in t ...

, and she was a frequently headliner at the

Royal Hawaiian Hotel The Royal Hawaiian Hotel is a beachfront luxury hotel located in Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. It is part of The Luxury Collection brand of Marriott International. One of the first hotels established in Waikiki, the Royal ...

and the Halekulani. She performed regularly on radio program ''

Hawaii Calls ''Hawaii Calls'' was a radio program broadcast live from Waikiki Beach from 1935 through 1975 that reached 750 stations world-wide at the height of its popularity. It featured live Hawaiian music by an 11-piece dance orchestra conducted by Harry ...

'' with her husband Ed Kenney. She was best known for her graceful performance of "Lovely Hula Hands". Hula teacher Michael Pili Pang described her artistry: "Her presence is unforgettable. Her hula is pure art. Her style of movement is like watching poetry in motion as she transports you to a romantic place in the mountains or to a spectacular sunset along a beach." Noa traveled across the U.S. as the Hawaii Visitor Bureau's "poster girl". She promoted the Kamehameha Garment Company and worked as a model for

Alfred Shaheen Alfred Shaheen (January 31, 1922 – December 22, 2008) was a textile industrialist who is credited with popularizing the aloha shirt.

. Noa also was part of the first Calvin Klein retail store in Hawaii and worked for fourteen years as the manager of Chanel in Hawai‘i before retiring in 2002.

Death and legacy

She died at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu on October 19, 2017. Noa was inducted into the

in 2015 as part of the class of 2014. In March 2017, she was honored with the annual I Ola Mau Ka Hula award.

Personal life

Noa married twice and had two children. She married roller derby star Fred Lee Noa, Sr. and together they had one son, Fred Noa, Jr. She later married singer Ed Kenney Jr., with whom she had their son Ed Kenney III, although they divorced shortly before their son was born. Noa raised her sons as a single mother in the Kāhala neighborhood of Honolulu. Her son Ed Kenney is a chef and restaurateur who hosted the 2016-2017

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

television series ''Family Ingredients''. Noa appeared on the first episode of the series to discuss their family's relationship with poi.

References

External links

"Remembering Beverly Noa"
5-minute video of a 1987 performance of Noa performing "Lovely Hula Hands" {{DEFAULTSORT:Noa, Beverly 1933 births 2017 deaths Entertainers from Los Angeles Hula dancers